TV Viewing Habits Are Changing Fast With Public Binging On The Rise

It began with the opportunity to binge watch entire seasons of our favourite TV shows in the comfort of our homes. Now, binge viewing is far from going away, it’s actually taken to the streets.

Why? There is virtually nowhere that you can’t access good TV shows and with 2.4 billion smartphone users in the world, people are taking advantage of the ability to stream and download anytime, anywhere.

Watch Netflix over my shoulder and I’ll call it our first date

So our private behaviours are now on public display and it’s a seemingly irresistible to stay occupied while in crowds or waiting in line to do what you enjoy with all the entertainment so easily available in the palm of our hands.

According to a new Netflix study, an incredible 59% of Aussies are watching their favourite shows in public, out of the home and on the go. In fact, public bingers rank having access to movies or show higher than food and water as “essential” items for travelling or commuting. Yep!

The survey also reveals the most common experiences of Aussies bingeing in public:

Nearly half (45%) of Aussies watching on the go have caught a backseat binger snooping on their screen

Screen snooping can have real consequences! In fact, one in five public Aussie public watchers admitting to “show shame”, the feeling of embarrassment over what they were caught watching. And eleven percent of Aussie public bingers have had a show or movie spoiled by seeing someone else’s screen

The top techniques for hiding show shame include: simply presenting like nothing happened and continue watching (34%); turning off the show or movie (21%) or covering the screen (19%)

Interestingly 34% of Aussies are watching Netflix content on their daily commute to work, 32% of Aussies are watching Netflix content at a café or restaurant and surprisingly 8% of Aussies are watching Netflix content in a public bathroom (higher than global average of 7%), showing that even the public dunnies are now being used to watch our favourite shows and movies.

The Netflix data also reveals that 61% of Australians are publicly bingeing on aeroplanes (the highest percentage of any country globally), however, Aussies have indicated we experience major issues with in-flight entertainment. 32% of the time Aussie’s have indicated that there is no in-flight entertainment and when there is, 40% have been unable to finish their show or movie because they were landing (globally these results are 25% and 29% respectively).

Robyn Foyster is the owner and publisher of Women Love Tech. She is CEO of AR Tech and helped develop it new shopping app Sweep. An award-winning journalist and former Editor-In-Chief of The Australian Women's Weekly. She is also the owner and publisher of GameChangers.com.au and TheCarousel.com. Robyn runs her own media business, Foyster Media. She was a judge of the 2018 & 2017 Telstra Business Awards. CEO of AR Tech and helped develop the Sweep app.